Summer is here and our thoughts turn to fun and work outdoors. Aritsts add another dimension .. they almost always are thinking of painting what they see.

For many of us, composing as we look around us is an acquired skill. Many, many of my students have remarked, usually soon after beginning to paint, that they are seeing even the common things around them in a brand new light. They suddenly realize that clouds are seldom plain white, trees trunks are not brown and water does not usually look blue.

So painting outside presents new and exciting challenges.

First and foremost is deciding just what to paint. That is a very personal decision. To help my students, I usually suggest getting a mat board, with the center cut out like it is ready to frame a painting, from a craft or framing shop to use as a framing square. You can cut your own, but it is easier to buy one.

If you want to cut a rectangle from a piece of cardboard, be sure to cut 90 degree angles for the corners and make the opening in a proportion of either 2:3 or 3:4. For example, 4" X 6" or 6" X 8". Personally, I prefer a smaller opening because as you hold it up and look through it, it outlines a larger area.

This may all sound confusing, but it will help you decide on a composition to paint. Hold the framing square at arm's length and look through it at an area you think you would like to paint. You might include an interesting barn or tree, a serene pond, a rock garden or a stand of wildflowers.

Often an asymetrical composition is most pleasing to the eye. This just means moving your focal point off center in the composition. Try centering that interesting old tree in the middle of your framing square, then move the framing square so the tree is about 1/3 of the way from one edge or the other. You will see what I mean .. the off center tree will make a more interesting composition.

Once you have decided on a composition, you can tape your framing square to a corner of your canvas or onto your easel. This will allow you use of your hands an insure a constant picture from which to paint. However you steady it, you can look through it and sketch your composition onto your canvas or watercolor paper. Then you have a living "photo" in front of you the whole time you are painting.

A word of caution: if you are painting outside, be sure to wear sunglasses and protection from the sun. The glistening white of a canvas intensifies the danger to your eyes and you will not be conscious of exposure to the sun as you get more absorbed in your work. I really like to try to find a nice shady spot for this type of project!